Scam? I think so.

[Reddogs]

In another thread I was complaining about a listing on Craig's list that sounded too good to be true and that the person who listed it replied back to me once and then not again.

Well, today I got a reply with a name and the pictures I requested. The tractor looks fantastic. The location of the tractor, according to Craig's list is about 2 hours from me. I sent the seller, who says she is selling her recently deceased husband's tractor, a list of dates that I could come and pay cash for the tractor. This is the reply I got:

As I mentioned before, I'm a widow and now I'm here in *******, ** staying with my parents. [That is not the location listed on Craig's list].
The tractor is already at the shipping company in Roanoke sealed and ready for shipping. My presence won't be necessary because I prearranged the deal with Continental Freight Shippers. The deal includes free delivery and it will arrive at your address in 3-4 days. You will have 5 days to try out prior to making any purchase and if by any reason you find something you don't like about it you can send it back at my expense. If you are interested in knowing more info about how it works, I can ask Continental Freight Shippers to send you an email with more information on how to purchase it. Continental Freight Shippers will contact you shortly after they have the details with all the confirmation that you need to complete this deal and you will also have proof that I am covered by them and a legitimate seller.
If you would like to receive the email from Continental Freight Shippers with all the transaction information please reply with your full name, shipping address and phone # and they will call you right away.
Hope to hear from you soon.

So, this obviously looks fishy. I cannot find a company with the exact name of Continental Freight Shippers but there are a few with very similar names. My wife, who is an excellent researcher, could not find a person by the name the seller gave me in the area that the Craig's list posting originated from except for someone who is deceased. Craig's list also says only to buy face-to-face. The part about trying it for 5 days and sending it back at the seller's expense sounds ridiculous too.

I sent her my work number and address. I'll play along and try to be an optimist just because I want it to be real (the pictures show a sweet tractor!). I'm normally a realist....pessimist according to my wife.

It makes me sad and angry that we live in this kind of world. It also makes me disappointed in myself that I'm still hoping this might be legit.

Curious if others have seen this sort of thing?

When the "owner" is gone or another state, that's a scam...

 

[Fixastuff]

When the "owner" is gone or another state, that's a scam...

But she said she'd already done everything so he could "register" the tractor in his name. Lol

 

[N80]

I didn't find the thread you mentioned in your first post, but I did find a post saying you're a doctor.

It concerns me greatly that an educated person would fall so far into this scam. You should not have made any further contact after receiving the email you included in the first post in this thread. You may have already endangered your practice by having so much contact with the scammers.

STOP ALL CONTACT with them immediately.

Don't worry. It has been fairly clear that it was a scam from the onset. They have not gotten any info from me that they could not get easily enough without my help. Since before I started this thread I have essentially just been toying with them. My practice cannot be endangered as I only used my private email. All they have is the practice address which can be found online easily under my name. I have not done anything since that original post that would compromise any accounts, computers or systems.

A little research shows that these scams try to collect money in order to forward a shipment. Obviously I have not done that. This is not a hacking attempt or a phishing type scam to access my computer so I'm not worried about that. The worst thing they got was my mobile number and I do not use my mobile number as ID information on accounts like eBay. Amazon or Paypal.

 

[N80]

I would guess that 99% of the ads selling something for a deceased or overseas relative are scams. And 99.9% of the ones that involve shipping the item to you are scams.

Funny, I sold thousands of dollars of super high end stereo equipment for a cousin from a different state who had passed away. At great prices too. Craig's List and eBay.

 

[PuffyC]

It concerns me greatly that an educated person would fall so far into this scam.

My comment has nothing to do with this particular thread and is not directed at any specific person, but there's very little relationship between education and intelligence. I'd go so far as to say they're totally unrelated but that's just my opinion after meeting so many highly educated morons and so many uneducated geniuses.

 

[Doughknob]

No answer at the number. I'm done.

I’d have been done long ago. LOL. Its a scam bud.

 

[stevem5215]

I wouldn't waste one more brain cell on that crap. It's not even worth thinking about it.

 

[N80]

My comment has nothing to do with this particular thread and is not directed at any specific person, but there's very little relationship between education and intelligence. I'd go so far as to say they're totally unrelated but that's just my opinion after meeting so many highly educated morons and so many uneducated geniuses.

True. But the educated and uneducated geniuses have their moments too. See that all the time.

 

[Doughknob]

It concerns me greatly that an educated person would fall so far into this scam.…..

LOL. i agree with whomever else commented on who falls for scams - education level does not matter. Also OP didn’t really fall for it; he lost no dough. I fell for a scam without losing dough also. Educated people - just like non - all hope “good things” to be true.

 

[jaxs]

Don't worry. It has been fairly clear that it was a scam from the onset. They have not gotten any info from me that they could not get easily enough without my help. True but this way is easier. Since before I started this thread I have essentially just been toying with them. And wasting your time. My practice cannot be endangered as I only used my private email. All they have is the practice address which can be found online easily under my name. I have not done anything since that original post that would compromise any accounts, computers or systems.

A little research shows that these scams try to collect money in order to forward a shipment. Obviously I have not done that. This is not a hacking attempt or a phishing type scam to access my computer so I'm not worried about that.They were getting around to to it. The worst thing they got was my mobile number and I do not use my mobile number as ID information on accounts like eBay. Amazon or Paypal. They can sell E adresses and phone #s to other scammers and scammers. A few people go farthar and those are bigger payoffs.

You can't find anyone that doesn't believe they are too smart to get scammed but thousands are daily. Simply clicking a link "to have peek or investigate" is enough to alow access to your computor. All they need then is wait until you enter passwords and such and they have you hung out to dry without you knowing when it happens.

 

[workinonit]

I've heard that one 4 or 5 times. Always within an hour or 2 drive.

 

[N80]

Educated people - just like non - all hope “good things” to be true.

Oh man, this was the tractor of my dreams. M7040. Under 1000 hours. 3rd function plumbed and on joystick. Pictures looked just right for 1000 hours typical wear. $23,000. Yes, low for today's market but even two years ago that would have been about right or high. At a dealer the price on that tractor would have been $30k east. Sadly, it was the unicorn it appeared to be.

The thing is that these sorts of deals are out there. My son-in-law's dad picked up a Kubota MX5100 or 5500 similar to this, grapple, great condition for a great price about 2 years ago from an old guy who couldn't use it anymore. The price was perfect for him and the seller.

So in the back of your mind you know they are possible.

And that's how the prey on you.

I was very disappointed when I got that reply and suspected a scam. But it was kind of fun running it down, doing the research and seeing it unravel. The clues are always there. You just have to get past the desire for the unicorn and see them.

 

[N80]

You can't find anyone that doesn't believe they are too smart to get scammed but thousands are daily. Simply clicking a link "to have peek or investigate" is enough to alow access to your computor. All they need then is wait until you enter passwords and such and they have you hung out to dry without you knowing when it happens.

I'm not immune either but nothing during this exchange puts me at any serious risk.

 

[RjCorazza]

For whatever reason, $23,000 is a very popular scam price on tractors.

 

[JCoastie]

doing a search on the shipping company domain name through icann shows the following :

ICANN Lookup

The ICANN registration data lookup tool gives you the ability to look up the current registration data for domain names and Internet number resources.

lookup.icann.org

• Mailing Address: Kalkofnsvegur 2, Reykjavik, Capital Region, 101, IS

and that the domain was only created:

• Created: 2022-05-13 21:50:09 UTC

 

[N80]

I'm very disappointed that they are from Iceland. I was expecting Russia.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

You can't find anyone that doesn't believe they are too smart to get scammed but thousands are daily. Simply clicking a link "to have peek or investigate" is enough to alow access to your computor. All they need then is wait until you enter passwords and such and they have you hung out to dry without you knowing when it happens.

It seems like it's usually some older person who is not used to doing business over the internet or someone who has plenty of money but is always interested in getting something for nothing, I always feel sorry for the first but rarely for the second.

 

[N80]

I thought this was a reasonable price so I wasn't hoping to get something for nothing......but these days getting something for a reasonable price is pretty exciting and pretty tempting.

I was watching a Machinery Pete video discussing tractors that were selling above what he thought was their reasonable value. The Kubota M7040 was his prime example. The example he showed was a cabbed model with MFWD and loader for $28,000. He thought that price was inflated..........2 years ago. You can't get a beat up open station model for that price now.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Isnt Craigslist basically just one big scam anymore?

 

[N80]

Isnt Craigslist basically just one big scam anymore?

I have had excellent experience on CL up until now. Buying and selling. So much easier and cleaner than eBay. You just have to be alert I guess.